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Courage Is Infectious And Protesting Is Our Birthright: Nandita Das

As her smile beams sitting across the mahogany brown table from me, Nandita Das makes a pretty picture in contrast to the dry terrains of Rajasthan.

One of the very few personalities in Bollywood, Das has carved a name for herself with a stellar portfolio of films that are gritty in concept and dipped in reality as opposed to a large number of mindless films that Bollywood churns out every Friday.

Many of them die just as fast as they are made, however, few remain memorable. Hers are some of them. Never to shy away from the societal pressure, she continues to shine through all the negativity a bold woman of her stature ruthlessly receives on social media. A large section of the film industry remains quiet on many issues, till they are continuously badgered into giving an opinion but not Nandita Das. She pierces through those silences, many times leaving a much-needed impact.

"If Manto was alive today, he would have probably been called a radical, an anti-national, maybe even lynched. His work would have been deemed extremely controversial because he would have had a lot to say," Das opines. She still remembers the day when famed journalist Gauri Lankesh was killed in broad daylight.

A year since the release of Manto, Nandita feels her film resonates with people even today given the turmoil that the entire country is witnessing. Based on the life of the famed author Saadat Hasan Manto, it delved into the then newly formed India's era of post-independence. The film garnered great acclaim around the world.

"There's a Manto in everyone I see these days. I feel the spirit of Manto come to life in the burning souls of professors who are being sent to jail, in the voices left behind by journalists who have been murdered for calling a spade a spade, and in the loud screams of dissent shown by many brave protestors across the nation!", exclaims the actress-cum-director.

Creative beings are born with the unique gift of being able to express in more than one form, and sometimes the outcome can be louder than a few mere words. When a country like India which proudly bathes in emotions, the result is often not dealt with correctly. Many artists across genres have seen the noose of censorship tighten around their necks. Art schools in the country are being threatened, social media is being monitored and trolls refuse to let people breathe.

"I get trolled every day. There were times when my own son's photo was misused with expletives written all over it. It made me feel vulnerable," the disappointment of it all still lingers in her words.


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Das is a unique piece of that growing puzzle. Her creativity mixed with issues plaguing the society has seen itself portray on screen. Her voice grows exponentially stronger when we discuss the looming threat over the freedom of speech.

"Before being called a creative person, we are the citizens of this country, we are human beings. Whatever community you belong to should not matter. It is the duty of the person to speak up when they watch the country divide, people being harassed or even killed," she says.

"I know, we are a celebrity-driven country and it becomes extremely imperative for people in a position of influence to speak up, having said that, it is truly not mine or anyone's position to say you need to speak. It must come from the inside, I can appeal but not force. I value my freedom just as much as anyone else does," she trails off.

The soft light of a setting sun over the desert state lends a soothing glow to her introspective mood. "You know, the Indian partition was done on the basis of religious identity. Jinnah created Pakistan, an Islamic state and that was a choice, which they exercised. Our leaders chose to make India a secular country and our constitution can be ranked as one of the most empathetic in the world, at least on paper it gives equal rights irrespective of gender, caste, creed and religion", she sighs.

"So it is quite appalling that again today a religious marker is being used to divide us," she adds.

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Das has been vocal about her disapproval of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC) calling the combination extremely lethal.

She feels, "Some of us are going to be made to feel like secondary citizens. As privileged people you and I still find it quite difficult to fill government forms for identity proofs, now try to imagine the plight of the uneducated, who could easily make the mistake of writing their names incorrectly.

"And what about the people who found their homes burned to the ground in riots? Their documents cannot have miraculously survived," she points out.

There are many issues she feels the country needs to focus on, such as the depreciating Indian economy, women safety and education and in this moment of strife divisive policies are being given precedence over important matters.

Yet, optimism can still be seen fanned in Nandita, her beguiling smile returns proudly when she recollects all the protests against the controversial CAA/NRC.

"The sudden burst of nationwide protests in lacs shows that people of India do not wish to be divided. They want answers to other pressing problems," she opines.

"I have interacted with students who have come from far-off cities to join protests because they feel their voice matters and that in itself needs to be saluted. That is the spirit which will help us unified in our common fight. Let's be marathon runners and not sprinters, one needs to sustain on this journey or else we'd be burnouts."

Looking directly into my eyes, she continues, "You know, when more people speak up, it gives other people the strength to do the same. Courage comes from conviction and can be extremely infectious. If we want the world to be a better place, a kinder and a more compassionate place, we need to work towards it." as the sun drowns in the distance she trails off quoting Gandhi, "Be the change".

The bright light will return tomorrow and the fighter's spirit will awaken to a new day, to the same fight but with renewed determination.

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